DFY or DIY: The Moment to Choose
When Done-For-You Makes Sense
Not every project needs a full handoff. Here is a quick way to tell if DFY is the smart move.
Choose DFY if any of these are true
Time is tight. A filing deadline or launch date is near and your team is maxed.
Risk is real. Mistakes could trigger notices, penalties, or unhappy employees.
Skills gap exists. You do not have a specialist for the job and training someone would slow you down.
Cost tradeoff favors DFY. Lost sales, extra payroll hours, or rework would exceed a DFY fee.
Change fatigue is high. Your team needs finished systems, not tutorials.
What DFY protects you from
Half-built setups that break during month-end
DIY shortcuts that create tax problems later
Hidden scope creep because no one defined the finish line
Vendor finger-pointing
Case-style examples
Bookkeeping cleanup: You grew fast, receipts live in five places, and you need clean P&L by next week for a lender. DFY handles import, rules, and tie-out while you keep selling.
Hiring surge: You need compliant onboarding for 10 seasonal hires. DFY builds the packets, sets up e-sign, and runs payroll test files.
Tax season sanity: Multiple entities and prior year estimates to reconcile. DFY maps accounts, validates payments, and files on time.
When DFY might be overkill
Choose coaching or done-with-you if:
You have an in-house person eager to learn and enough time to do it right.
Your scope is tiny and low risk, like changing a chart-of-accounts label.
You want to invest in team capability and can treat this as training.
A simple decision rule
If the cost of a mistake or delay is greater than the difference between DFY and a lighter option, pick DFY.
What to expect from a DFY proposal
Fixed scope with clear milestones
What is included and what is not
Access and approval checklist
Timeline you can plan around
Options for ongoing care once the project ends
If you are nodding along, DFY is very likely the right call.
